Windows26: Weekend Roundup: PH-US-Japan’s historic trilateral meeting, Duterte’s ‘secret pact’ with China, and heatwaves in schools

Hi, reader!

This week's rundown includes the historic trilateral meeting of the Philippines, Japan, and the United States, as well as the suspension of classes amid heatwaves and Duterte's 'secret pact' with Xi. Here's your Weekend Roundup, your weekly fix for everything you need to catch up.

'Stop aggressive behavior'

In a joint statement, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., US President Joe Biden, and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida expressed their serious concerns over China's aggressive behavior in the disputed waters. The three heads of state also reminded China that ownership of several areas in the West Philippine Sea has been settled in the July 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Read more related stories:

Biden reiterates: Any attack on PH aircraft, ship in SCS will invoke MDT. He guaranteed that any attack on a Philippine aircraft, vessel, or armed forces in the South China Sea will invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty.

Marcos: PH-US-Japan summit's 'a natural progression' of deeper ties. The three-way summit is "a natural progression of deepening relations and robust cooperation" among allies in the Indo-Pacific region, President Marcos said.

Envoy: Patience of PH on China 'stretched to the limit.' The Philippine ambassador to the US Jose Manuel Romualdez said the country's patience over being harassed by Beijing in its own waters has now been "stretched to the limit."

China Embassy: US-PH defense treaty won't move us from our will, resolve. The Embassy reacted to the US reinforcing its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines, saying the pact "will not move" them from their "will and resolve."

Romualdez: PH-US-Japan trilateral meet affirms call for rules-based order. The summit affirms the call for a rules-based order and the observance of international law, House Speaker Martin Romualdez said.

Oven-like classrooms

Architect Gerard Lico says most of the current classrooms that are built based on the "standard design" set by the DepEd and DPWH are not ideal for a tropical country, like the Philippines, where the climate is "hot to warm and moist all year."

Liquefied natural gas dependence?

In its quest for energy security and an ambitious shift to renewables, the Philippines finds itself at a critical crossroads, grappling with the economic realities of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the goal of expanding its clean power sector.

Look Through:

Bayaning Walang Ngalan

In a country rich in history, there are some heroes whose names remain to be unknown. INQUIRER.net visits an abandoned cemetery in Marinduque that serves as the final resting place of some of the province's "forgotten" heroes. What's their story?